


Sixteen

by AnabielVriskaMars



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-13
Updated: 2016-03-13
Packaged: 2018-05-26 13:09:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6240565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnabielVriskaMars/pseuds/AnabielVriskaMars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So everyone he loved had forgotten his birthday. </p><p>Marinette stood right outside the gates from the school looking embarrassed.</p><p>It took him a moment to see that she had a small box with a huge ribbon in her hands, and that she was looking at anything but him.</p><p>So maybe this birthday wasn't going to be so terrible.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sixteen

**Author's Note:**

> I am Adrianette trash.

His sixteenth birthday was like any other day in his life.

In fact, he wouldn't have realized it was his birthday if it hadn't been for Nathalie informing him that "his father sent his regards" and that "his present would be here soon."

Because of course, it was way over the line to call your only son during his birthday, right?

He had to admit that he was excited about school though. At least his friends remembered his birthday, and that would cheer him up a little.

Except it didn't happen.

He arrived to class early and sat in his usual place, waiting for his friends to arrive so that he could at  _least_ feel that  _somebody_ cared about his birthday.

Nino walked in first, smiling, and sat down in his usual spot next to Adrien and fistbumped him, same as always. Adrien watched him expectantly, waiting for the usual  _happy birthda_ _y, bro_ that was bound to come.

Except it didn't.

Alya and Marinette came into class next, passing by his desk with nothing further than a 'hey' and a 'hi, Adrien.'

He wanted to say so many things to them. Remind them that this was a special day, perhaps?

Except he didn't.

As minutes tickled by, students spilled into the classroom, not so much as sparing a glance at Adrien, much less saying happy birthday. Adrien's heart shrank.

Every year he expected nothing, and yet he always found himself disappointed. 

He guessed he just thought that he'd made enough of an impression on the people in his class that they might actually remember his birthday... they  _had_ the year before, at least.

But he supposed he hadn't.

The hours of the day tickled by, his classmates behaving normally as ever. The sun was setting on Adrien's birthday, and still the only congratulations he had received had been from his father's assistant. 

Adrien sighed, surprised to find that there was a tightening in his chest as he did. He supposed he was a lot sadder than he wanted to admit.

He waited for everyone to leave the classroom before he dejectedly began picking up his books and placing them in his bag.

It had been stupid to think that this year would be any different.

Lower-headed, Adrien left the College, feeling much like someone who'd  been disappointed to the point of betrayal.

And that was when he saw her.

Standing by the gates of the door stood Marinette. He recognized her, even though the sun was behind her, because he could always recognize her pig-tails, and the way she stood, always occupying the least amount of space she could. It was heartbreaking how little that girl thought of herself, he thought.

As he walked closer, he felt something lighter in his chest. Marinette was golding something against her: a bright blue box with a large bow.

Could it be...?

He closed the distance between them, painting a smile on his face, pretending nothing was wrong, and schooling his heart, telling himself that it was  _not_ a present for him.

He couldn't take another disappointment today.

Marinette looked at anything but him, and he saw the sunset reflect against her cheek, making it seem pink. It was a look that suited her, he thought.

"Hey," he pretended to be upbeat. "What are you still doing here?"

He watched her bite her lip and lick her lips a couple of times, parting her lips to talk but always choking before she said anything. This time, he was  _sure_ it wasn't the sun that made her pink.

"I-I was w-wondering," she started, and he saw her shut her eyes, trying to push words out from inside of her. "Would you walk with me home today?" She opened one eye tentatively, as if gauging his reaction.

To be honest, it made him a little happy.

It was nice to feel appreciated, even if she  _had_ forgotten his birthday.

"Yeah, of course." He replied, and saw the smile bloom from her lips in a way that was nothing short of beautiful. It took him aback, but he shook his head, as if to clear it.

It wasn't strange, of course, he  _knew_ that Marinette was an attractive girl.

It just hadn't hit him in the face so hard until now.

They began walking, one next to the other. He had called Gorilla and told him that he'd hitched a ride home. Nathalie hadn't been happy about it, but they decided to make an exception, 'just because it was his birthday.'

He supposed that was special.

He talked with Marinette all the way home. Adrien noticed the way she always seemed to look at her feet, and the way she stuttered so much. It was, he had to admit, kind of cute.

He could see what Nino had seen in her.

"So how was your day?" Marinette asked, surprisingly without stuttering. Adrien, of course, felt bitter at the question, but smiled anyways.

"It was good." He replied. "Its always nice not to have tests, you know."

Marinette laughed a little more than she should have, he noticed. He didn't mind though. He thought it suited her.

They reached the door of her bakery all too soon, and Adrien felt a pang of disappointment. Spending time with a friend had been exactly what he had needed to cheer him up, and he wasn't really looking forward to going home alone.

Adrien and Marinette stopped at the door of the bakery, and she looked down at her feet again, a blush still creeping on her cheek. It seemed to never leave her, but that was quite okay, Adrien thought.

"Hey," she said shyly. "I just, uhm, I-_ was wondering if you wanted to come in for a few minutes. We, uh, we have a lot of leftovers that will go to waste if nobody eats them... Would you like some?"

This was the first time during the day that Adrien's smile was genuine.

"I'd love to," he replied, thinking for a second that this was the closest thing to a birthday cake he would ever get.

Marinette smiled fully, and  _wowza_ that was pretty. Adrien stood for a second stunned. Being the recipient of that smile had been like being struck in the gut. When had she become so cute?

She turned her back on him and opened the door, letting him walk in and turn on the lights.

And that's when it happened.

Everyone in his class hopped from different hiding places, yelling their surprise. There was a huge banner in the middle of the room, with the word "Congratulations" written all across it.

And it was like the sun was rising in his chest.

Everything inside him felt light in a second. His fingers were tingling, and he barely felt the way his lips stretched into a smile that was almost painful. Everything inside him flicked on and the entire day's disappointment felt like  _nothing_ compared to the joy he was feeling right now.

"What...?" was all he could muster. Nino came closer and clapped him in the shoulder, shoving a box into his hands.

"Happy birthday, bro." Nino said happily. And that was the start.

First, everybody in class began, turn by turn, hugging him and clapping his shoulders and back with heartfelt 'happy birthdays' and 'congratulations.'

Adrien felt six feet tall.

His first party.

He walked towards Nino and pulled him into a hug.

"Thanks bro, I can't believe you did this!" Adrien said, and Nino returned the hug, but shook his head.

"Wasn't me, dude." He replied. Adrien looked at him, confused. Nino pointed with his chin at something behind Adrien. "This was all Marinette. She got everybody in the class to pretend to forget so that she could throw this surprise party."

He was speechless, to say the least.

He'd never understood why people used the expression 'walking on cloud nine' until now. Every step he took felt lighter and lighter as he walked towards Marinette, and the closer he got, the brighter she seemed to shine. He arrived in front of her and couldn't muster words to say, so he scratched the back of his neck.

Marinette had her eyes cast down, as always, and tentatively looked at him. Somehow those big blue eyes made the words inside of him unlock.

"I can't believe..." Okay, maybe not  _unlocked_ , but at least he could say  _something_. "I can't believe you did this."

Marinette laughed nervously, gripping the box tighter to her chest. "I-I...It was nothing."

Adrien pulled her into a hug. It was tighter than any hug he'd ever given anyone, and his face was buried in her hair ~~which smelled like strawberries~~. Before he could stop himself, he planted a kiss on her temple. When he pulled back, he was still smiling, and she was blushing harder than ever.

"This is the best birthday party anybody could ask for." He said.

Marinette took a deep breath and thrust the box into his arms, not even daring to look at him.

Now that he received the present, he felt guilty for wanting it in the first place. He didn't  _need_ presents when he had friends like this.

Marinette waited expectantly, and he realized she wanted him to open it. He'd thought his heart couldn't swell more, until he saw what it was.

It was a photo frame. A simple wooden one, with a picture in it.

It was the picture they'd taken at the park when they were supposed to take the school pictures and Juleka had missed them.

Basically, it was Adrien and all the people who considered him their friend.

This time, when Adrien looked at Marinette, his eyes were full of emotion. He knew it. He knew and he didn't care.

For the second time, he pulled Marinette into a hug, and this time planted a loud, smooching kiss in her cheek before pulling her into another tight hug.

"You're the best, Mari," he said, and felt as her arms feebly reached around him too.

"We all love you, Adrien." She said, this time without stuttering, but in a really low voice. "We just figured this was a nice way of reminding you."

Adrien spent the afternoon and part of the night at his very first party, every once in a while stealing a glance from the girl who made it all possible.

When he got home he got grounded for a week for not telling anyone where he was, and for leaving Nathalie and Gorilla to hang for his crimes, but it didn't matter.

He had figured this day would be just like any other.

But it wasn't.

And he loved it.

 

**Author's Note:**

> i am well aware that this isn't my usual quality, but i wanted to get this story out of my head


End file.
